When you see LSAT-style language *everywhere*

There's a great (and free!) guide containing info on pretty much every law school out there. http://www.bcgsearch.com/bcgguide/ Check it out. You can even download it as a PDF. BUTTTT..... thing is, if you spend enough time on the LSAT, you start looking at things weirdly.

You start analyzing things and seeing flaws EVERYWHERE! I "suffer" from this, and so do my students. After I recommended that above-linked law school guide to one student, he started analyzing a totally random statement in the guide's introduction! What he wrote: Here's what I read in the first paragraph of the introduction: "Information is not knowledge. Only organized and contextualized data can provide meaningful information." At first glance, I wondered if it wouldn't have been better to start with "Knowledge is not information," and then go on to explain that the only way to get meaningful information is by finding organized and contextualized data. But now it occurs to me, maybe saying "Knowledge is not information" is structurally the same as saying "Information is not knowledge." My response: Their sentence and yours are structurally the same! If it's information, then it's not knowledge. ( I ---> NOT K ) Contrapositive: If it's knowledge, then it's not information. ( K ---> NOT I ) Therefore, the two are not equivalent. However, these first two sentences suggest something slightly more complicated. What the authors really mean (in context) is that information ALONE isn't sufficient to be "knowledge." The authors suggest that data equals information - although they don't explicitly say this. Thus, it's an unstated, but required, assumption. They say that data/information must be organized and contextualized in order to be meaningful. The authors suggest meaningful information is equivalent to knowledge. This is another large missing assumption that must be true in order for the argument to work. *** So, if this is the kinda thing you've started doing with completely random sentences... That's what I like to see! If you can dissect something even as dry as this, you're on your way to rocking the LSAT :) For more on conditionals, contrapositives, etc., check out this article I wrote containing everything you need to know: Conditional Reasoning: Contrapositive, Mistaken Reversal, Mistaken Negation -Steve Recommended Resources: 1. LSAT CoursesThe best of my LSAT material with exclusive access to attend my Live Online LSAT Master Classes + Q&As, and on-demand video lessons you can watch anytime. Plus, LSAT study plans to keep you on track. Save hundreds of dollars with an LSAT course package. 2. Logical Reasoning Explanations The explanations that should have come with the LSAT. These don't just fall back on "out of scope," but actually tell you why the wrong answers are wrong, why the right answers are right, and the easiest way to get the correct answer. 3. Logical Reasoning Cheat Sheet Based on what I'd typically do in college: read what the professor emphasized and condense it all onto a single piece of paper. It gave me a quick reference, making things a lot less threatening and a lot more manageable.

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How to create the ultimate résumé for law school admissions

Yeah, I used the French-style accent marks again. Couldn't help it. Because part of writing a killer résumé for law school is paying atención to all those tiny details. Not sayin' "deets" and bein' all casual-like. In short, I hate résumés. But it doesn't matter whether you like them or not. You still gotta be good at makin' one. You still gotta prove you can be the kind of "nitpicky" future lawyer who will get awesome law school grades and pass the Bar Exam on your first shot. So I put together the best resources I could find --- specifically --- on law school admissions résumés. I want to help you make the best one possible, with proper formatting and everything. So click here to get all the law school admissions résumé goodies: Law School Admissions Résumé Goodies ---> And let me know if you have any questions about résumés, admissions, etc. Happy to help with it all however I can. -Steve P.S. My LSAT and admissions courses include a TON of resources on writing the best personal statement possible for yourself. Recommended Resources: 1. A Comprehensive Guide to the Law School Personal Statement This guide provides tips on conceptualizing, planning, writing, and editing the law school personal statement. 2. Law School Admissions Guide I've written a concise guide to the law school admission process with tips on completing every aspect of your applications from start to finish. It's a small price to pay for a whole lot of guidance, and it's short enough that you'll actually read the whole thing. 3. Law School Admissions Cheat Sheet Quick-reference guide for the law school personal statement, the "Why X?" essay, and the law school résumé. (You can also get it with the LSAT Cheat Sheets.) Free Stuff | YouTube | Podcast | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Books | Courses

Will the New Online LSAT Flex Become the New Normal?

Will the new online LSAT-Flex become the new normal?

The more LSAT-Flex administrations there are, the more that becomes the new "normal." And I suspect there will be several due to COVID-19 this year.

And with each LSAT-Flex test date, they'll get better at administering it.

It will be hard for them to go back (especially if there are more "waves" of COVID-19 as I'm hearing predicted).

LSAC says they hope to return to regular in-person administrations when possible. But COVID-19 or not, I suspect it's hard to go backward on technology.

It will be difficult for the June 8 LSAT to be administered in-person since at least a few states already have stay-at-home orders until June 10.

That would mean we'll have at least two LSAT-Flex administrations. July is a big question mark also if states extend stay-at-home orders even further.

If you're planning on taking the LSAT anytime in the next few months, don't assume it will be the Digital LSAT on tablet. It may be LSAT-Flex on your computer.

***

Additionally, some are assuming the LSAT-Flex will be easier because it is only 3 sections, rather than 5. However, LSAC has always been extremely careful about "test-equating" (ensuring that LSAT scores from different administrations and test forms are comparable). 

They go to great lengths with detailed statistical analyses to adjust the "LSAT curve" (raw score conversion) to account for any differences in difficulty based on students' performance.

(That's the main reason LSAC takes a few weeks to release LSAT scores - they are checking to see if students performed as expected on the questions.)

LSAT-Flex: Online LSAT Test Administration (via LSAC)

Via LSAC (my initial thoughts on LSAT-Flex here):

As promised, we are writing with an update on options for taking the LSAT this spring and summer while we all continue to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 emergency. We hope that you are staying safe and well and encourage you to continue your enrollment journey. We are working closely with our member schools and we are all eager to support you during this challenging time.

The continued devastating impact of the COVID-19 virus on communities throughout North America, and the growing restrictions on travel and public gatherings have led us to reluctantly conclude that we cannot administer the April 2020 LSAT, even in smaller groups with strict candidate separation and other health and safety measures. Given the intense candidate interest in testing this spring for the fall 2020 admission cycle, we had been working to preserve every possible opportunity to deliver the April test in at least some locations with appropriate health and safety measures. While the ongoing restrictions on travel and public gatherings make that impossible, we have been working hard to develop alternatives.

In light of the COVID-19 public health emergency, we will be offering an online, remotely proctored version of the LSAT – called the LSAT-Flex – in the second half of May for test takers who were registered for the April test. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic closely and will make other LSAT-Flex test dates available this spring and summer if the situation warrants. We plan to resume the in-person LSAT once conditions allow, in strict accordance with public health authorities and using all necessary health and safety measures. In the meantime, the remotely proctored LSAT-Flex will provide candidates with the opportunity to earn an LSAT score even if the COVID-19 crisis makes it impossible to deliver the test in-person. 

Candidates currently registered for the April 2020 LSAT will be automatically registered to take the LSAT-Flex in the second half of May unless they choose another option (see below). If you wish to proceed, please take a moment to review the technical requirements, and fill out the online form to let us know whether or not you think you will need assistance. We are committed to broad access and will work with all test takers with disabilities to see that their accommodation needs are met under the circumstances. We will also work with any candidates who may need our assistance with access to computer equipment or other necessary hardware.

April registrants who do not wish to take the LSAT-Flex in May should use this online form to choose any one of the other published LSAT test dates without having to pay a test date change fee.

We will announce the exact date and instructions for the May LSAT-Flex no later than Friday, April 17. We are working hard amid this crisis to create new ways for you to take the LSAT and get your score in a timely manner because we know how important it is to you and to fairness and integrity in law school admission, which advances access and equity in legal education. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we all work through this extraordinary situation together.

Here are some key facts about the LSAT-Flex test that will help you prepare should you decide to take it in May:

• LSAT-Flex will provide the high levels of security, validity, reliability, accessibility, and fairness that candidates and schools rely upon from the LSAT.
• LSAT-Flex will be composed of genuine LSAT questions that have been developed and tested in accordance with our rigorous standards and processes. 
• LSAT-Flex will be delivered in the same format as the free Official LSAT Prep practice tests available on LSAC’s LawHub, so you can familiarize yourself with the format now.
• To ensure the highest levels of security and validity, all LSAT-Flex test takers will be monitored by live remote proctors via the camera and microphone in the test takers’ computer. The video and audio feed will be recorded, and further reviewed by human reviewers and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques.
• LSAT-Flex can be accessed by test takers with a laptop or desktop computer with a Windows or Mac operating system to provide wide access for test takers. You can learn more about the computer and testing environment requirements here. 
• To meet the anticipated demand and the needs of the remote testing solution, LSAT-Flex will be composed of three 35-minute scored sections (compared to the four 35-minute scored sections plus an unscored section in the traditional test). 
• LSAT-Flex will include one section each of Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning. Test takers will continue to take LSAT Writing separate from the multiple-choice portion of the test. 
• LSAC is committed to working with LSAT-Flex test takers with disabilities to see that their accommodation needs are met under the circumstances. All test takers who have already been approved to receive accommodations for the April 2020 LSAT test date will receive the same or equivalent accommodations for the LSAT-Flex administration. Accommodated test takers who registered for the April LSAT can expect to receive additional details and information directly from LSAC regarding their approved accommodations in the context of LSAT-Flex. 
• Test takers will receive a score on the standard 120-180 LSAT range, as well as a percentile ranking. Because all LSAT-Flex questions are actual LSAT questions that have gone through a multi-year process of development and pre-testing, LSAT-Flex results enable LSAC to accurately predict standard LSAT scores. Scores for the LSAT-Flex will have an annotation that the test was administered in the online, remotely proctored format. 
• We anticipate LSAT-Flex scores will be released approximately two weeks after testing. 

Even as we offer the LSAT-Flex during this unique COVID-19 period, LSAC will continue to explore additional options for candidates, including possible additional testing dates this spring and summer, and alternative locations and formats for in-person testing that would meet health and safety guidelines as this public health emergency evolves. 

In addition, we continue to work with our member law schools and are pleased to see the steps that so many schools are taking to provide flexibility, extend deadlines, and support candidates.

The impact of this COVID-19 crisis on so many segments of our society underscore how important it is to build a strong legal profession devoted to advancing justice, equity and prosperity. We hope that you will continue to pursue your goal of legal education – the legal profession needs you, now more than ever! 

Researching Law Schools Online for Admissions

5 ways to research law schools online for admissions

-Browse law schools’ websites

-Set up video calls with law school admission officers + current students (find them on Facebook +
LinkedIn)

-ABA 509 Reports (employment numbers)
-Law School Transparency

-LSAC’s LSAT / GPA Calculator

Applying to Law School During Coronavirus

(from email interview with reporter)
Some may defer due to the uncertainty, but many will choose to go to law school now because the opportunity cost is lower. Those graduating from undergrad now face a job market where few are hiring - if they have few employment options in the short term, law school becomes relatively more appealing.

This would be similar to what we saw in the 2008-2010 recession where law school applications spiked - because the job market was unappealing, applicants chose to enter law school to "wait it out" and hope the job market would improve in the next 3 years.

I don't think many will suddenly get into the game to start this fall, but many who have already applied will stick it out and possibly take lower offers than they would (or should). I would expect more desperation from current applicants who don't want to kill time to wait another year before reapplying. 

Recent poll results in this group indicate most would still start 1L online -- and even though most also *say* they wouldn't pay as much, I haven't heard law schools offering tuition discounts for temporarily moving their classes online at the "Zoom School of Law."

At the same time, I would expect more desperation from law schools to fill seats (status of international students uncertain, some applicants will want to stay closer to home/family rather than moving for law school), leading them to discount heavily if applicants negotiate.

LSAT > Grades > Everything else?

Actually just got a question from one student I'll summarize as... LSAT > Grades > Everything else? Yeah, I'd pretty much agree with that. LSAT + GPA = vast majority of what determines your law school admission status... but it's not quite 100%

There's still: * Extracurriculars * Personal statements* Recommendation letters * URM status * Work experience * Criminal / disciplinary record * Interviews (at a few schools like Northwestern) * Unofficial interviews * Alumni advocating on your behalf / connections * Multi-million $ donations * Your relative being POTUS, etc... Out of those, guess which you have the most control over? (Yeah, I bolded the answer to make it EZ.) If you're applying sometime in the next 6 months, it's probably the ***personal statement***. That's why I've put together an entire arsenal of advice on how to write a killer one. Killer Arsenal of Law School Personal Statement Advice ----> Lemme know if you have any more questions about it, and I'll cover them in a future article. Very truly yours, Steve J. Schwartz P.S. Next time, I'll share some resources to help you rock another piece of the Law School Admissions Equation - the résumé. P.P.S. Yeah, I used the French-style accent marks. Whatcha gonna do 'bout it? Recommended Resources: 1. A Comprehensive Guide to the Law School Personal Statement This guide provides tips on conceptualizing, planning, writing, and editing the law school personal statement. 2. Law School Admissions Guide I've written a concise guide to the law school admission process with tips on completing every aspect of your applications from start to finish. It's a small price to pay for a whole lot of guidance, and it's short enough that you'll actually read the whole thing. 3. Law School Admissions Cheat Sheet Quick-reference guide for the law school personal statement, the "Why X?" essay, and the law school résumé. (You can also get it with the LSAT Cheat Sheets.)

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Seeing LSAT logic flaws *everywhere* -- even late-night TV

Sadly, comedian Stephen Colbert is no longer doing his satirical talk show, The Colbert Report. Whatever your political views, you have to admit that while in character, he displayed several logical fallacies. I couldn't help spotting him make a major LSAT flaw while talking about marijuana legalization. I even noticed a (potential) flaw his interview guest made, too. Click here to check out the video (then watch me destroy his argument!): Stephen Colbert's flawed argument against legalizing marijuana ~~~~~> Very truly yours, LSAT Steve (not yet as famous as Colbert, but much more logical!) P.S. If you think it's inappropriate for me to talk about marijuana in an article about the LSAT, please don't read my articles anymore. I think it's important to connect the LSAT to real-world topics, no matter how controversial they might be. :) P.P.S. Are you taking the LSAT sometime soon? Or are you taking it several months from now? Or even next year? (Props if you're starting that early! But you don't need to, of course.) Anyway, wheneeeeevvvvverrr you're taking it, I want to know: What's your #1 struggle with LSAT prep? and What would you like to learn more about? Por ejemplo, are you having a hard time getting started, and you need some advice to stay motivated?  Or did you start already, and you're finding Logic Games make you feel like a complete idiot? (I've been there.) I'm going to take the most commonly mentioned topics and focus on them going forward. Questions from students like you are what led me write explanations for over 1,000+ LSAT questions, create a series of popular LSAT courses, and publish best-selling LSAT guides. Hearing from you is what gets me up in the morning and inspires me to keep sharing more LSAT advice. Talk soon, LSAT-Obsessed Steve Do me a favor - reach out and tell me your story. It only takes a minute. Even though I can’t reply to every message, I do read every single one myself. Free Stuff | YouTube | Podcast | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Books | Courses

How to ID LSAT Sufficient + Necessary Conditions...like a boss

Got this question from my student Kaitlyn recently: is there a quick way to identify the conclusion and differentiate between sufficient and necessary conditions? YES! Why reinvent the wheel every time you look at a question when you could just find out the most important "indicator words" and use them to help you tell the difference between things like: * necessary and sufficient conditions * evidence and conclusion * moderate vs. extreme language * positive, neutral, and negative viewpoints and tones * varying degrees of certainty * different types of LSAT questions *** These are concepts that cut across ALL sections of the LSAT! *** I can't cover ALLLLLLL of those in one article - that'd be way too much, so today, I'm just going to answer Kaitlyn's question directly, then share the ultimate LSAT vocabulary resource with you. Here's how to tell the difference between evidence and conclusion, and between sufficient and necessary conditions: evidence: since, because, after all conclusion: thus, therefore ************************************************************************************************************ sufficient: if, when, all, every necessary: then, only Those are nice to have.... But you probably knew all of them! It's when they use less common indicator words that you get confused. So here's even more (like, WAY more): Evidence: after all, as indicated by, because, due to, follows, for, for example, for instance, for the reason that, given that, in that, owing to, since, the reason being Conclusion: accordingly, as a result, as such, clearly, consequently, demonstrates, establishes, for this reason, hence, it follows that, must be that, shows that, so, thus, therefore ************************************************************************************************************ Sufficient (before the arrow): All, any, as long as, each, every, if, in order to, people who, the only, to, to be, when, whenever, whichever, whoever Necessary (after the arrow): depends upon, essential, must, need, only, only if, only when, requires, then If this sort of thing is standing in the way between you and total LSAT domination, you're not alone. The LSAT LOOOOOVESSS to confuse us with tricky language. And it gets even harder than the words above, which are used pretty much the way you'd expect, if you really think about it. Why ARE common LSAT “vocabulary words” so confusing? Because many of them aren’t used in the way you’d expect! Some words have multiple definitions - the primary definitions, as they're commonly used, and less common definitions (secondary or tertiary definitions). You might find you don't know these less common meanings of words like "qualify" and “consistent” and you might find you don't know the meaning of words like "repudiate." Most often, LSAT vocabulary is confusing because they’re using certain words to mean their LITERAL definition in “logic land.” What I mean by that is, the LSAT uses these words the way a philosopher or logician would use them - NOT the way we use them in everyday life. Take, for example, the word "qualify." We typically think of this as meaning, “to fulfill the conditions necessary to get something.” For example, “I qualified for a scholarship to law school because I got a high LSAT score." But, on the LSAT, it means, “to restrict or limit the scope of a claim.” For example, “Everyone loves to eat plain cheese pizza.” is an extreme claim. “Everyone loves to eat plain cheese pizza - except people who lactose-intolerant or gluten-free” is qualified (meaning it’s made more moderate) by the exception in the second half of the sentence. To help you better understand annoying words like "qualify" and all the common indicator words, I've created the ULTIMATE guide to LSAT vocabulary: The LSAT Vocabulary Builder: Words You Need to Know For each major concept, I've included similar words/synonyms grouped together to make them easier to understand. And I cover the words with multiple definitions where they're used in a way you might not expect. How did I do all this? It was easy (NOT): 1.) I went through EVERY LSAT PrepTest ever released and scanned for words associated with each of the major concepts that appears on the LSAT. I also looked for the words that most often confuse students due to the "tricky" ways they're used. 2.) Then, I wrote the LSAT Vocabulary Builder and sent copies to all the students in my courses to get their feedback and ideas for improvement. 3.) Finally, I released it to the general public (who gave me even MORE feedback). Since then, thousands of students have used the lessons in the LSAT Vocabulary Builder to improve their scores. The LSAT Vocabulary Builder is for you: * if you're looking to improve your LSAT vocabulary skills. * if you're an international student or non-native speaker. * if you're a re-entering adult student and it's been years since you've attempted university-level coursework. * if you want to better understand just what the heck the LSAT is saying. Click here to get your copy of the LSAT Vocabulary Builder if you haven't already ----> Very truly yours, Steve "LSAT vocabulary master" Schwartz P.S. If you’re having second thoughts about buying this...I offer a full 30-day money-back guarantee. If FOR ANY REASON you don’t like the LSAT Vocabulary Builder, just let me know, and I'll give you back all your money the very next day.

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How to rock LSAT Test Day

In this article, I'm sharing how to rock LSAT Test Day. Did some digging through my LSAT course materials and pulled out a few nuggets to share with you today:  *** What to do RIGHT before test day *** Take the most recent PrepTest as a full-length timed exam a few days before. Why? Because it's most likely to resemble the current "direction" of the LSAT as it's slowly evolved (like a virus), and gives you the best indicator of how you'll do on Test Day. (The most recent exam is ALWAYS the best available representation of the current LSAT - that's why I can't stand it when students come to me with the oldest book of 10 exams and don't have any others.) If you're taking the LSAT on a Saturday, I'd review the mistakes on Thursday, do nothing Friday, and do a favorite game/LR question or two as a warm-up on Test Day. But for your warm-up, remember, the moments before you enter the test center are NOT the time to review things you got wrong. They're the time to massage your ego with things you rock at. The other thing to do before walking in is to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wRkzCW5qI *** When to wake up *** You don't want to wake up right before the test. Your brain takes a few hours to fully wake up in the morning. I'd suggest waking up at the time you currently are to ensure that you're fully awake and have plenty of time to get to the test center and eat a good-sized breakfast. Try to avoid major fluctuations in your sleep schedule, or you risk not operating at 100% while studying and on Test Day itself *** When to eat breakfast (and what to eat) *** Everyone's body is different, but I wouldn't try to eat breakfast outside of your "normal time." It seems to me that the sooner you eat, the sooner you can go to the bathroom and get things out of your system before walking into the test center. As for WHAT to eat, I wouldn't eat anything sketchy the morning of the exam (or the night before). Eat foods that you know won't give you stomach problems, and preferably include something with protein, like eggs. (Click here for more tips on what to eat.) Try different things out in the weeks leading up to the test and see what works for you. *** Random question: Can you smoke during the test itself? *** LSAC has told me via email that you can wear a nicotine patch (even though that's not mentioned in their Day of the Test article). If you want/need to smoke during the break, consider a nicotine patch. Although LSAC's rules state that you're not allowed to leave the test center, I've heard of proctors allowing test-takers outside to smoke. Just make sure to ask before you leave the room. However, your best option is to go for a nicotine patch. And, in general, you'll probably be able to chew gum, nicotine or otherwise, unless another test-taker complains. *** What to do if you have a bad test center experience *** You can complain to LSAC or write an addendum about it, but admissions is still a numbers game. And, believe it or not, whatever happened, there's always someone who's had much worse test center experience than you. I'm honestly not sure how much an addendum in this situation will really help. Some admission consultants would probably tell you not to call attention to it, others might tell you that including more info is better. This sort of thing is really not much of a science. I'd say it's a toss-up whether you should write an addendum or not, but I'd lean toward not. Better to focus on writing the best personal statement possible. (Or decide if you should retake.) *** What to do AFTER Test Day *** Celebrate that it's over, obviously!!! Then email me to let me know how it went :) If you found this helpful, then you might want to join my LSAT courses, which contain my best material on every aspect of preparing for the big day, from dealing with nerves and anxiety to simulating Test Day conditions. I've got you covered from every angle. Talk soon, Steve P.S. Reach out and let me know your biggest struggle as you prepare for Test Day.

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